Introduction
Wasdale is a top place for all things big in the Lake District. The Scafell massif is within easy reach here along with Great Gable and Pillar. The most imposing cliffs in the Lake District can be seen here while the stature of the mountains compares well with those summits in the Western Highlands of Scotland. It's a place loved by all hill lovers.

The Scafell Range seen from Yewbarrow

Naturally the first thing to mention is the Scafell massif. This is comprised of Scafell, Scafell Pike, Broad Crag, Ill Crag, and Great End. There slopes are intricate with many features and thus it is worth a detailed exploration on a nice long day.

Scafell Pike seen from Scafell

The way down from Foxes tarn

The Pulpit Rock on Scafell Pike

The Scafell Range
Scafell is a formidable mountain whose only easy way up faces away from the rest of the massif. This makes an even better excuse to explore the crags more closely. The col between Scafell and Scafell Pike is called Mickledore. The way up to Scafell from here is blocked by a rock face graded as a diff rock climb by its easiest route. This necessitates a diversion using two options. The easier option is to go down towards Eskdale before ascending via Foxes Tarn. The other route is via the loose scurry up Lords Rake before being presented with two more options. The easy option continues along Lords Rake to the easy western slopes before heading up. The scary option involves an ascent of the West Wall Traverse which is a steep loose scrambly gully attained by leaving the lords rake at some point.

Scafell Crag

Lingmell seen from Ill Crag

Scafell Pike and Broad Stand
seen from Ill Crag

Scafell Pike is the highest summit in England and can be reached from most directions by way of easy walking routes. It has many spectacular features. Most of these features aren't seen from the summit and are best seen on the plateau edge or from the lower slopes. One spectacular place is the Pulpit Rock. Try a short walk out on to it and you'll be rewarded with spectacular aerial views of Pikes Crag and Mickledore Buttress. A walk beneath these features is also worth doing. The side summit of Lingmell is worth ascending to see the steep crags overlooking Lingmell Beck and a peer down Piers Gill is worth it. Piers gill is worth a closer look but it's worth remembering that the gill itself is the domain of the rock climber.

Ill Crag (left) and Broad Crag (right) seen from Great End

Sunset illuminating the Scafells

Looking down Wasdale to Wastwater, Illgill Head on the left

The Summits of Broad Crag and Ill Crag have some less visited features. This includes Little Narrowcove on the Eskdale side of the summits where steep slopes and huge cliffs hold the walkers with a great sense of awe. The western sides hold some shallow corries that provide some grassy picnic opportunities and are surprisingly quiet.

Rainbow on Lingmell in the evening

Wastwater, Middle Fell and Seatallan seen on the way up Scafell

Other Hills
Great End is described in more detail in the Borrowdale section.

Great Gable is the next big summit to mention and is a classic mentioned in more detail in the Borrowdale section.

Great Gable seen from Yewbarrow

Great Gable seen from Wasdale

Kirk Fell and Great Gable from Pillar

Kirkfell is a big bulky mountain with a large summit plateau that is quite grassy. The ascent straight up from Wasdale Head is unrelenting and steep and the ascent from Beck Head gives the least strenuous ascent. From the Pillar end, the ascent is either through a steep scrambly gully that is often loose and or up a ridge negotiating some scrambly outcrops.

Kirk Fell seen from Yewbarrow in evening light

The southern slopes of Yewbarrow

Red Pike seen from the ridge to Pillar

Pillar, the next big mountain, has a very impressive face overlooking the Ennerdale valley. This has a path called the Shamrock Traverse and is very dramatic with long steep drops. The path visits the more impressive aspects of the mountain. One of the usual traverses of pillar includes the Mosedale Horseshoe and sticks to the easy ridge lines. Some people also include Great Gable in this traverse while others are completely mad and include a dollop of the Scafell Massif in a day. The latter inclusion makes for a grand and challenging traverse.

Pillar seen from the eastern slopes of Red Pike

Burnmoor Tarn and the moors leading to Eskdale

Lower level walks are somewhat limited in quality but a good round to include would be a circuit of Wastwater via the Wastwater screes. The screes are overlooked by dark brooding crags seamed with evil looking fissures. Other easy walks can be found to the west of Wasdale.

Yewbarrow seen across the Mosedale Horseshoe

Yewbarrow seen from the descent from Red Pike

Yewbarrow and Red Pike seen from Waswater Screes